Sean Bullick, CEO of Newcastle NE1, Newcastle’s Business Improvement District, said: “The decision to build a third runway at Heathrow is not just of importance to the South East of England, it is welcome news to businesses in Newcastle and the wider North East. This expansion could add more than £4 billion to the economy of our region and create as many as 5,000 much needed jobs. This has to be understood as a decision of national significance, with the needs of each region weighted equally, and work needs to start immediately to maximise the economic benefits. The 1,400 Newcastle businesses we represent will be cheering this news. Now we need the politicians, nationally and regionally, to make this happen.”